Erie SeaWolves slugger Stewart powered by family

Before each of Christin Stewart's at-bats, he remembers his grandfather.

Stewart takes his bat and carves out a cross in the dirt along with the letters “PC” in tribute to Paul Campbell.

“My grandfather never played baseball, but he always supported me, and I know he's looking down on me every time I play,” said Stewart, an All-Star outfielder with the Erie SeaWolves.

Campbell died of lung cancer in 2012, Stewart's senior year of high school. Campbell was a deacon in Savannah, Georgia, and would drive more than three hours to Lilburn, Georgia, each time he had a chance to watch his grandson play.

“He loved to watch me play," Stewart said. "It was awesome.”

A few months after Campbell died, Stewart led Providence Christian Academy to the Georgia High School Association Class 1A state championship.

It was the start of a blossoming baseball career that Stewart hopes ends in the big leagues one day.

Growing up in Georgia

Stewart was born in Atlanta and fell in love with baseball when he was a kid.

“When I was younger, my brother (Anthony Jr.) played, but I was too young to play with him,” Stewart said. “I loved going to his games, and I knew I always wanted to play baseball. He stopped playing after pee wee, but it was all I wanted to do.”

Stewart was a standout on both the baseball diamond and the basketball court. He said he played basketball to “keep in shape for baseball” in the offseason. He gave up basketball after eighth grade to focus on year-round training for baseball.

Stewart, who is currently listed at 6 feet, 205 pounds, said his mother, Yolanda, immediately put a stop to any thoughts of playing football.

“It's a funny story; my mom wouldn't let me or my brother play,” Stewart said. “Her brothers got hurt playing football, and my dad (Anthony) was fine with it because he played, but you know it always comes down to what mom says.”

Stewart's concentration on baseball paid off when he started the first game of his freshman season.

“Stewy was a game-changer for us, and I don't remember him missing a game for us throughout his four years,” said Providence Christian Academy coach Adam Cantrell. “I remember his first game. We had a three-year starter not come out his senior year, so we put Christin in the lineup. He proved that he deserved every inning of playing time that he received.”

Stewart was a catcher and first baseman throughout his high school career. He garnered plenty of honors, including his selection to represent Georgia in a southern tournament that matches the best players from each state against each other.

Stewart was named to the team as a second- or third-string catcher. Cantrell called the head coach asking him to give Stewart a chance, and the rest was history.

“I told the coach Christin might surprise him,” Cantrell said. “The catcher in front of him was an SEC commit. I think he ended up catching the final inning of each game just to get him out there after Christin took over as the starting catcher. Christin changed our program.”

Stewart led the Stars, who became the Storm after he left, to the playoffs all four years, including an appearance in the state championship series as a junior. His senior year, Providence Christian Academy won the first baseball state title in school history.

Stewart finished with 69 career home runs, which tied big leaguer Micah Owings for the Georgia state record. He just missed out on the national record of 75 set by Jeff Clement from Iowa.

During the state-championship series, which is a three-game series in Georgia, Stewart was hit by a pitch, walked or intentionally walked in 11 of his 12 plate appearances.

“We hit a lot of home runs that series,” Cantrell said. “If they would have pitched to Christin at all, he would have challenged the national home run record.”

A few years after Stewart left, his jersey was retired. Cantrell decided to retire the No. 13 jersey because it was worn not only by Stewart, but by current Houston Astros pitcher Collin McHugh, who played for Providence Christian Academy in the early 2000s.

Playing for Tennessee

Stewart became a highly sought recruit during high school, but most Division I schools wanted him behind the plate.

Tennessee landed Stewart by giving him freedom to play other positions.

“Tennessee recruited me based on my versatility and thought about putting me in the outfield,” Stewart said. “I didn't want to catch anymore because I wanted to save my legs. It all worked out, and I love playing the outfield.”

Stewart has played the outfield since the move in college and is the top outfield prospect in the Detroit Tigers system, according to MLB.com.

During his time with the Volunteers, Stewart played with two fellow Tigers draft picks in A.J. Simcox and Will Maddox. Stewart and Simcox have developed together, including a trip to Alaska one summer.

“It's pretty cool that we've had a long journey together, and hopefully it continues to go that way to Detroit,” said Simcox, a shortstop for the SeaWolves. “It's incredible to watch Christin grow and to see how far he has come since his freshman year at Tennessee. We've played together for six years now, including a few months in a summer league in Alaska. It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to play up there.”

Stewart hit .319 with 35 doubles, 10 triples, 23 home runs and 113 RBIs in 150 career games with Tennessee, while Simcox hit .282 with 66 RBIs in 152 games. Both played three seasons before being drafted by the Tigers.

Maddox, a third baseman, hit .309 in three seasons with the Volunteers and is currently in Lakeland.

With Stewart in left field and Simcox at shortstop, the two developed a strong chemistry in college, which has carried over to their time together with the SeaWolves.

“It's great to have that chemistry on the field,” Simcox said. “I know his range, and he knows what balls I can get to. We always thought it was a possibility we could play pro ball together, but now that it is a reality, it's great.”

More power to Tigers

After the 2014 season, starting pitcher Max Scherzer left the Tigers to sign with the Washington Nationals. Detroit received a compensation pick at the end of the first round of the 2015 draft for losing Scherzer to free agency.

The Tigers used that pick, the 34th overall pick in the draft, on Stewart.

Because of the power to all fields he displayed in college, Stewart immediately was engulfed in hype as a pro.

“I try not to think about the expectations,” Stewart said. “At the end of the day, it's still just playing a game you love. It's a kid's game that we complicate. I just want to have fun. That's the big thing. It's a job and you need to perform, but you also have to have fun.”

The Tigers then drafted Simcox in the 14th round. Simcox started the 2017 season with the SeaWolves, but Stewart had a quicker rise in the system.

After the draft, Stewart played just six games for the Gulf Coast Tigers in rookie ball where he hit .364. He flew to Connecticut for the short-season A affiliate and hit .245 with 11 RBIs in 14 games to earn another promotion.

Stewart finished the season with Class A West Michigan and hit .286 with seven home runs and 31 RBIs in 51 games.

Expectations continued to rise as Stewart started the 2016 season as a top-10 prospect in the organization. He hit .264 with 24 home runs and 68 RBIs in 104 games in Lakeland before a promotion to the SeaWolves in late July.

“I think Christin has made great strides. I really didn't know what to expect when he arrived last season other than I knew he had power,” said SeaWolves manager Lance Parrish. “He shows good plate discipline, which is always a good thing. I think if he can hit for an average like he is now, he will certainly earn his way to Triple-A Toledo. He has plus power, and I know guys are rated between 20 and 80. I think he is in the neighborhood of 80 for power.”

Stewart moved up to the No. 2 prospect for Detroit this season behind 2016 first-round draft pick Matt Manning, a starting pitcher.

Stewart is hitting .272 with 19 home runs and 60 RBIs in 83 games this season and is climbing several season and career lists in the SeaWolves' record book.

He has excited the Erie crowds with tape-measure home runs and clutch RBI hits throughout the season.

Stewart is on pace to play the outfield in the big leagues one day. His athleticism and baseball prowess are just part of what Stewart brings to the Tigers' organization.

“He is soft spoken and works hard," Parrish said. "He is a manager's dream and conducts himself the way you want your son to conduct himself. He plays the game the right way, and the sky is the limit for him.”

Tom Reisenweber can be reached at 870-1707 or by email. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/ETNreisenweber.

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